All about the Apple Strudel (and Beef Goulash) at Accent European Lounge

Last night Zed and I decided to find a $20 Fork Fest menu to sample. Our first instinct was to head to Blue Plate where they are offering their $20 vegetarian menu (an appetizer and entree) this week. However we thought we should go somewhere a little less familiar, and Accent European Lounge, a newer Original Fare member, turned out to be the destination of choice.

We had visited Accent sometime last year on a dessert craze, where we ventured to restaurants simply for dessert and coffee (ie. Cafe Select Southside (now closed), High Level, Leva, etc.). We had ordered the apple strudel and fell in love with it, so we thought trying their entrees would be fitting.

The Lounge had not changed at all since last we had last visited - a small but fair size, dark wood everywhere and a small shortage of lighting (there are some dark pictures below). There were three other couples who seemed to be on dessert when we arrived so there was a healthy choice of seating (we chose a high table close to the window). Our server brought us menus and a wine/beer list, pointing out the Fork Fest features on the back. A few minutes later she was back to see if we were in need of drinks - I went for an Alley Kat Amber Brown Ale and Zed for a Keith's.

Accent's Fork Fest menu (their selections from the regular menu) consisted of a choice of House or Greek Salad, entree choices of Weiner Schnitzel, Beef Goulash, Steak Tartar or Grilled Veg Stack with Bocconcini and Basil Pesto, and for dessert a choice of Apple Strudel or Crepes. I went for the Greek Salad, Vegetable stack and Strudel, and Zed opted for the House Salad, Beef Goulash and also for the Strudel.

A couple minutes after placing our orders our server appeared again to inform me that they would be unable to make the Veg stack as they were out of the portobello mushrooms. She offered to replace the Vegetable stack with their Vegetable Pasta - because the other three Fork Fest options were meat, it was an offer that I really couldn't turn down.

The salads came out quickly. My Greek salad was a good combination of red onion, Feta, Olives and lots of peppery Arugala. Zed on the other hand didn't care for his House Salad. I have to admit that after a small sample the sweet-earthy dressing didn't quite agree with me either, but as Zed is not at all a fan of salads, it would have taken something incredible to win him over.

The House Salad

The Greek Salad

Our entrees arrived soon after. Zed's Goulash looked good - a deep rich brown colour, it was full of red and green peppers and lots of beef and Paprika. On the wet snowy evening it was definitely fitting, and Zed really enjoyed it. While my Vegetable Pasta was good, it was nothing too special - chunks of zucchini, red pepper, onion, broccoli and cauliflower were tossed in a sauce that reminded me of Bruschetta, along with linguine (I'm no good with raw tomatoes, so the dish already put me off a bit). In the end there was nothing really wrong with the dish, maybe it just needs a bit of an update.

Beef Goulash

Vegetable Pasta

I was glad to finish with the Apple Strudel, as it almost made up for my entree. Two nice sized slices of Strudel arrived with a pleasant aroma of walnuts and cinnamon. The outside layer of dough was lovely and crispy, while the inside was full of soft apples and lots of finely ground walnuts.

Apple Strudel

While Accent was good, it definitely wasn't the best meal we've had in the city. But although the lounge was a bit darker than we normally prefer, the casual service meant that we could linger and talk as long as we wanted (preferably with some of the strudel), something we both appreciated; because of this we will likely return (plus, I really want to return to try the vegetable stack...).

Accent European Lounge
8223 104 Street
780.431.0179

Our Best Loved Day Starters

Every morning from Monday through Friday Zed heads off at 7AM to work, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for a reason I cannot remember, I scheduled myself in for an 8AM Macroeconomics lecture. There are a few choice indulgences we feel are necessary to start these mornings off, and here they are:

When it comes to Zed, he needs one thing in the morning - a latte. For convenience sake, he often ends up at the Second Cup in Oliver Square, where a latte is in process as soon as he walks through the door. Not only do they carry (in Zed's words) a "ginormous latte," but Second Cup always seems to have a well stocked supply of soft, jumbo sized Ginger Snap cookies, and one of these means happy snacking for the rest of the day.

In my case, the trek to and from class is peppered with several cafes that are either on my route or just a few blocks away. If I am fortunate to wake up and get ready early enough, a Chai awaits me at Leva (they open at 7AM). Today though, I slipped into class with only a couple minutes to spare and no hot drink to sip as I listened to the professor speak of productivity and economic growth. So afterwards I decided to make my way over to Sugarbowl to get one of their giant cinnamon buns to go. I got there early enough that they were still warm (I suppose this is one of the perks of being up so early), and carried it home.

A Sugarbowl Cinnamon Bun

Half of the cinnamon filled goodness went to me to enjoy as I dove into my textbook, and the other half is neatly wrapped and safely tucked away on a high shelf for Zed to eat this evening.

Although all of these stops are open during the evening (often late into it), we are both very glad they open their doors in the morning to help start our days off right.

Fantastic Fork Fest offerings at the Red Ox Inn

Worried that Zed and I would not be able to get a reservation at Red Ox Inn during Fork Fest, I called yesterday to inquire whether or not any seats were available for this Thursday evening. Luckily they had a table for two at either 8 or 8:45, so I happily took the 8PM seating, which ended up working well with the bus schedule.

We walked through the door and immediately found that we had arrived in a tiny (but tastefully decorated in a contemporary style) dining room. I had heard Red Ox was small, but I was still expecting somewhat of a larger space (the tight space worked out well until a louder group of six arrived, who also ended up taking lots of flash photography. I think they almost blinded the woman next to them, and we thought they would have been asked to turn the flash off, but...). At any rate, we were greeted at the door by one of two servers who took our coats, seated us, and immediately provided us with water.

A lengthy wine list was already laid out on the table, but after taking a glance I think Zed and I both knew we needed a beer. Our server appeared again with both the Fork Fest menu as well as the regular menu (he mentioned that he was aware we were down for Fork Fest (I asked them to note it when making the reservation), but just wanted to let us know the regular menu was still available). He inquired about drinks and in return we asked about our beloved beer. I was glad to find that Anchor Steam and Alley Kat were a part of the lengthy list, so I went for the Anchor Steam and Zed for a Keith's (apparently the last in the house).

The second server appeared to ask whether or not we had any questions about the menu, which I did - I was in for the Wild Mushroom Soup with Madeira and Gruyere-Mushroom rye crostini, but found out it included chicken broth (not unexpected). But he did mention that holding the bacon in the Warm Goat Cheese, spinach, almond and cranberry-port dressed salad was an option, so I took it. I also chose the Seared Arctic Char with ratatouille and mashed potatoes with a garlic-butter sauce and the warm chocolate cake for dessert. Zed did take the Mushroom soup, then also opted for the Char and chocolate cake.

Our meal started off with the soup and salad shortly after placing our orders. This was the first time Zed had ever looked at me and said, "Wow, that's really good," after taking a bite of any food, especially soup. My salad was also very well done: the tart cranberries mixed well with the sweet port and coated the spinach and almonds nicely. A warm round of soft goat cheese crusted with Panko bread crumbs sat on top of the salad and provided a nice fresh and tangy side to the dish.

The char followed soon after. This was a great entree - the meaty fish was nicely lightened by its crispy skin, and the slightly spicy ratatouille set it off well. I was really glad to see the crispy skin on the fish; ever since I saw Jamie Oliver do this with a piece of salmon skin I have wanted to try it. (Also, in the middle of our mains Sharon Yeo of Only Here for the Food arrived with Mack and was seated next to us, so a review of Red Ox will be coming from her shortly. I was really glad to meet Sharon, however brief, as her blog was the first I stumbled on about food in Edmonton. And although I know taking pictures of our restaurant fare is important, I haven't quite worked up the confidence yet to do this at each place, and I know Sharon will have some nice shots of their meals.)

The evening finished off nicely with the warm chocolate cake and a scoop of vanilla bean. The cake was full of a deep rich chocolate, and the warmth met nicely with the coldness of the ice cream.

I also have to mention the service - Zed and I both agreed the service was some of the best we've found in Edmonton. From taking our coats upon entry to the knowledge and help they provided with drinks and food, it helped make the evening really fantastic. The two dining room servers sort of tagged teamed it throughout the evening, not because the other one didn't have time, but more because it looked like we were ready to order, we were finished our meals or were in need of a cup of coffee. We both enjoyed this approach and thought we received the perfect amount of attention.

At the end of the evening Zed and I were really impressed with Red Ox Inn - the food was fantastic and the service really matched and made the evening. Fork Fest provided a great introduction to the restaurant and Zed and I will definitely be returning for more.

Red Ox Inn
9420 91 Street
780.465.5727
Open for dinner only Tuesday - Sunday beginning at 5PM

Lots of Bloggers have hit up Red Ox in the last little while; check out some of these write ups: from Take it and Like it, from Foodie Suz, from Brulee Blog

Fork Fest!!!

Original Fare's Fork Fest begins next week, running from January 19-22, and again from January 26-29.

We're always excited about this event... there are a few pricier Original Fare Restaurants we still haven't visited, and the $20 or $35 three course dinners make them more within our reach.

I think we've settled on the Red Ox Inn, although the Blue Pear just published their menu today, and it is very tempting. And while we've been before, the thought of Accent Lounge's wonderful Apple Strudel is incredibly luring.

Published menus for this edition of Fork Fest can be viewed here. And the list of participating restaurants can be found here.

Lazy Saturday lunch at Leva

After an early jaunt to the Strathcona Farmers' Market this morning, Zed and I came home to nap and enjoy our delectable purchases (Happy Camel Pita bread and hummus, Maple Walnut Fudge and carrots... also a savory vegetable pie for later). Once our breakfast of fudge had worn off, we decided to head over to Leva for a late lunch.

It appeared that many others had experienced a similar brainwave, as the cafe was packed. We successfully made it past the gelati and dessert coolers without a glimpse to place our orders of a chai latte for me, along with a margherita pizza, and a cafe latte and chicken pizza for Zed. We snagged a table for two just as a couple was leaving, and sat down to sip our drinks and await our pizzas.

I love Leva's chai lattes - they are creamy and smooth with a mild chai flavour (although I quite enjoy the strength of Remedy's as well). Zed equally enjoyed his latte - artfully prepared with freshly ground beans, this drink continually remains his favourite.

Neither of us have stopped by the cafe in about a year (we used to frequent once or twice a week during weekday evenings for a coffee and dessert, but I believe they have slightly shortened their hours now), but the place really hadn't changed. Still the sleek, modern decor, the marble tables and countertops and beautiful art. The only thing different was the crowd - on this Saturday afternoon the place was packed with families, happily munching on pizza and desserts.

Our pizzas arrived and were just like we remembered - a perfectly thin crunchy crust and well dispersed toppings, wisely placed to keep the crust from becoming overloaded. Zed thoroughly enjoyed his chicken pizza, and gobbled it up in no time. My margherita pizza was just as good, with a sweet tomato base, a satisfying amount of boccocini and mozzerella cheeses, and some fresh basil to finish it off.

Full of pizza, we made the very odd move of skipping dessert (although the cream puffs came close to pushing us the opposite way), opting to head straight to our next destination, the movie store.

While we missed dessert today, we know another trip to Leva is most definitely in the near future.

Leva Cafe and Bar
11053 86 Avenue
780.479.5382